This invention relates to a method and arrangement of machinery for use in the validating or verification of coupons.
In this day and age it is very popular for manufacturers and retail outlets to distribute individual or books of coupons which carry a product identity and an amount which will be credited to the customer if and when the particular product is purchased. For example, newspapers or magazines may carry a number of coupons. Such coupons would usually be cut out by a purchaser and then taken to a local store where the product identified on the coupon would be purchased. On paying for the product, the purchaser will receive a credit for the amount stated on the coupon, in relation to that article purchased. This has been found to be a very time consuming and expensive system to operate, in that it requires that staff in retail outlets and the like must collate coupons and keep records thereof so that the retailer can in due course return the coupons to the manufacturer to obtain an appropriate refund against the credits given to customers.
This procedure has been found to be labor-intensive and time consuming. As such there is often retail resistance to involvement in such schemes. At the same time, many manufacturers are anxious to have such schemes in operation, as an incentive to have their particular products purchased. In other words, if the purchasing public are aware that a refund is likely to be given following purchase of a particular product, this is an incentive to purchase that particular product.
The present invention sets out to provide a method and arrangement whereby the problems outlined above are hopefully overcome or at least minimized, while still allowing a coupon redemption scheme to successfully operate. In particular, the present invention sets out to eliminate or at least minimize the involvement of retailers.